A YOUNG golfer from County Durham had a birthday to remember when he met his sporting heroes.

Aaron Mansfield got to enjoy an incredible day at the BMW PGA Championship where he was given an incredible surprise by some of the biggest names in the sport.

Mansfield met up with Andrew “Beef” Johnston as well as major champions Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer – and was all captured on a European Tour video on YouTube which has had more than five million views.

He travelled to Wentworth from the family home in Stanley with his dad Gavin as part of his birthday celebrations and then was given the brilliant surprise as he waited to be picked up by taxi.

A car driven by “Beef” Johnston pulled up and he shouted: “Alright boys, you looking for a lift?”

Aaron couldn’t believe it and then Beef handed over a cap as a present. After that the car drove on to pick up 2013 US Open winner and Olympic champion Justin Rose on the way. And then Rose said: “Beef, I forgot to mention mate, I told Henrik that I’d pick him up this morning.”

Aaron was handed Stenson’s Claret Jug and Rose’s Olympic Gold Medal to hold in the back of the car before Kaymer met him as he arrived at Wentworth to take him for a putt on the 18th.

The Northern Echo: SELFIE: Aaron Mansfield with European Tour stars Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Andrew Johnston and Martin Kaymer

SELFIE: Aaron Mansfield with European Tour stars Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Andrew Johnston and Martin Kaymer

Aaron’s father, Gavin, said: “When he said that it just melted my heart. Aaron also got to meet Alan Shearer - he’s a huge Newcastle United fan - and it just made his birthday complete. He had no idea any of it was going to happen.

“He’s a huge golf fan and plays all the time. We both play at George Washington golf course and Aaron has been playing about 20 months and he’s got a handicap of 14.

“He’s left handed and just wants to be a professional golfer. He knows all about the game and the players. We went to the Open at Troon last year and he got to see Henrik winning the Claret Jug and Beef gave him a yardage book and he’s a big fan of Justin and Martin as well.”

The Tour stunned the family when they decided to give him something special after Aaron’s father got in touch asking if they could do something special for his son’s birthday.

Beef said: “I heard about doing it about a week before. I said, ‘yeah, let’s do it. I’m in.’ It was really good. Watching it back was good. I was driving so I couldn’t really see his face.

“All I got was the more guys that got in, the quieter he got. When I watched it and saw his face and his dad, it was wicked. I love doing things like that and making people’s day and giving back.”